Happy Days
by twilightvanillagalaxies
Summary: Set in an innocent world, our characters interact as children and make friends with each other. Or not.
1. 001 - Fight

"Hold still, Balthazar." Ordered Michael sternly, all five feet of his height looming over the squirming fledgling. "Let me wipe that off.

"If you hadn't slapped Lucifer like that, you wouldn't be like this. Hold still!" The elder brother tightened his grip on Balthazar's chubby wrist. The little angel squeaked in outrage.

"SHUT!" Michael snapped in response, wiping harder at the forming bruise. Most of the blood had come off, but he supposed the pressure would be good for circulation. He was very knowledgeable about such things.

Balthazar did the shut and sulked, wings folded close to his body. A bee buzzed close, took one drowsy glance at him and quickly flew off.

An (even smaller!) angel ran with pattering steps to the most senior, black hair flying up and down with every bound. His cheeks were dusted with exertion, and he had a look of solemn determination on his face. It was a very important job that was given to him, and it was crucial that he did not fail.

"Luci- Lucifer told me to pass a message to you." Squeaked the angel between gasping breaths. "He says that... Balthazar's a dumb baby who can't fight properly."

"And," continued the fledgling Michael identified as Castiel. He was staring, his eyes fixed curiously on Balthazar. "He says that he doesn't even want to bother with you. Michael," Castiel. "Do you know where Gabriel is?"

Michael held a raging Balthazar against him with a skinny arm and muffled his words with his hand. "I think he is near the river, near the cluster of trees by the big rock." He said in a carefully modulated monotone. "You may go. Tell Lucifer to expect me. Alright, that's enough." The angel murmured in his brother's ear. "I'll sort him out soon enough."

The messenger watched them, steady blue eyes unblinking and innocent. "Lucifer also says-"

"Yes, Castiel, I know." Nodded Michael, smiling a little. "Go off and play with Gabriel."

Castiel's gaze roved over Balthazar with unbridled curiosity. Then, as quick as he came, he left, small bits of fledgling-fluff in his wake.

The eldest angel waited a considerable amount of time before removing his hand from Balthazar's mouth.

Balthazar gulped a big breath of air. His face was red, like the yucky berries you could find by the creek. "BAAAASTARD SON OF A - !"

The hand went back in place. Balthazar screamed in fury and kicked his legs.

"You know, Balthazar," said Michael in smooth tones, resting his chin on his brother's shoulder. "I am not going to let you go until you calm yourself and behave."

"MMH MH MMMH MH MMMH!" responded Balthazar eloquently, his face darkening to a crimson tone.

"Not even if you pee on me."

At that moment, Balthazar felt an inexplicable fear. He stilled, and Michael paused until his pulse went back to normal.

He set him down and planted a kiss on Balthazar's cheek. Releasing him, he said, "Go off, now, and don't let me see you fighting with anyone again." Michael smiled. Balthazar's blood froze and screamed from inside his veins.

Warily eyeing him, the smaller angel stretched his chubby limbs. " 'oo was that?" He asked, making sure his voice was not growly. He was afraid of his big brother, and not even his reputation warranted a beatdown from him! And also, Balthazar was sore. And hungry. And tired.

"Who was what?"

"The baby." Balthazar said impatiently, running his fingers through his sandy hair (which had been messed up in the fight). "Y'know, the one who was just here."

Michael frowned. "Castiel? Don't pick on him. He was just doing what Lucifer told him to do. And Lucifer," he muttered darkly. "Him I will take care of."

Somehow, it did not seem like Michael would kiss Lucifer and cuddle with him.

The elder angel fixed Balthazar a languid look. "Don't pick on Castiel, or I'll smack you on the head."

"ALRIGHT!" Yelled Balthazar, face reddening from fear and sudden shyness. "I'm not. I won't.

"Bye-bye." The boisterous fledging turned suddenly and hurried off, wing-tips dragging in the dust. Michael didn't have the heart to reprimand him. Lucifer was making trouble again, and he would have to sort him out before Father found out.

And judging from a distant commotion, Uriel had pushed Ananiel into briars again.


	2. 002 - The calm

"Gabriel." Castiel tugged at his brother's sleeve. "What are you doing?"

The trickster started and turned to him with a look of surprise. "How the hell'd you get up here?"

Castiel blinked. "I flew."

Here was approximately fifty feet off the ground, up a tree, over a company of specks who could be seen very vaguely if you shielded your eyes from the sun and squinted.

It was an extremely hot day, and the rocks sizzled if you splashed them. Gabriel had prior to this, seen Raphael sit on one and leap up like he had burnt his butt, which he had. The very, very responsible archangel made sure to spread the warning via small fledglings with nothing to do. Rocks were dangerous today.

To his credit, he made sure that Lucifer was not told. His big brother had thrown him in the lake a few weeks ago, and Gabriel was just having a siesta. Lucifer's cry of pain gave him a warm feeling of smug satisfaction.

That was why he was in the tree. He was hiding. But how the hell had Castiel found him? He had made sure to put several glamours in place. To the casual observer, he would have looked like a puffin.

Castiel always won hide and seek. Nobody knew how he did it, and nobody wanted to be the first to bear the burden.

The little angel unnerved the archangel. No matter how sweet his brother seemed, with his curly head of black hair and pretty blue eyes, like the lake in winter, there was always something... off about him.

Like the way he was staring at him now. Unmoving.

Unblinking.

The rustling of leaves filled up the silence as Gabriel tried to form words. An eternity later, Castiel turned to stare at the small specks of life leaping and bobbing below the spreading boughs of the giant oak they were in.

"Who are they?" He asked querulously, tilting his head to the side. Rather endearing, if you got past the fact that he seemed a lot older than what he was - a fledgling seven summers old. "I've never seen them before."

At the last word, his eyes snapped back to Gabriel, who found he couldn't look away.

"Me neither." He finally got out. "I don't think they're angels.

"They don't have wings." The archangel added hastily, in an attempt to draw Castiel's gaze away from him. "And I don't think they're demons. I tried going close to them to investigate, and they didn't do anything... demony."

"Okay."

"Listen, Cas..." Gabriel began.

"Yes, brother?"

"Take this leaf to Lucifer." He said quickly, plucking one from a branch beside him.

"Why?"

"Because."

Castiel frowned and finally, finally nodded, taking the leaf and flapping off.

Down below, a shrill voice shouted: "Agh! What the hell?!"

Gabriel found himself glancing down. There were two of them, and one was lying flat on the grassy plain, upon flying lower to investigate. The other sprinted unsteadily toward the first. He couldn't have been more than two or three.

"Bean!" Shrieked the smaller one, tripping and tumbling a little short of his companion. "Wha- what was that?"

"I dunno, Sam. That was really weird. Are you okay?"

Sam patted his shoulder. "I am very okay." He said solemnly.

"Well, stop running off. Stay closer to me. What if you get hurt?"

"Sorry, Bean."

The one Gabriel identified as Bean sighed and ruffled Sam's hair. "Come on. Up."

The two made their way across the field, one piggybacking the other, who hummed tunelessly.


End file.
